X: The Unheard Music June 6, 2007

Part of the Sundance @ BAM series - Free John Doe performance in the cafe between screenings of the film.

It’s 1985. The Gipper is president, and FM radio is still a fairly new medium that takes a risk by playing punk rock. One such band simply calls itself X. Rejected by music executives, the band builds a cult-like following through small tours and limited radio play. Director W.T. Morgan documents this groundbreaking story in a manner as innovative as the band itself. Spare interviews, concert footage, and a lyrical collage of images accompany the beat of John Doe’s oddly catchy bass guitar and lead singer Exene Cervenka’s growling voice. Morgan not only guides us through the band’s history, but explores the myriad unheard voices in American culture in the ‘80s.

X: The Unheard Music is one of nearly 300 films held in the Sundance Collection at UCLA, a unique archive dedicated to the collection and preservation of independent film. With contributions from companies and individual filmmakers, the Collection has grown into an important living record of independent work. Q&A with director W.T. Morgan follows the 6:40pm screening. An intro precedes the 10pm screening.

Official Website: http://www.bam.org/sundance/film_sundance.aspx?id=836